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142 denotation
highly developed with bridges and ferries connecting
the different parts of the country, and the short
distances give easy access to a great variety of
activities and attractions �the two best-known of
which are probably Tivoli and Legoland).
The tourism industry in Denmark is dominated
by small and medium-sized companies, and the
main products are holiday houses, the sea and
nature. Campsites have been classified since 1988,
and hotels now have their own system based on
international standards. The service level in terms
of information is high, with tourist information
offices in almost every town. The constant development
of new products has resulted in activities
such as fishing, surfing, cycling, golf and a number
of cultural activities. The demand side of market
is dominated by countries in close proximity, but
Danish consumers themselves constitute 40 per
cent of the market.
There are a number of weaknesses in Danish
tourism, such as a short season, lack of nonseasonal
attractions/activities and a dependency on
relatively few markets. The national tourism policy
involves an attempt to solve these problems
through the development and promotion of new
products to new markets. Furthermore, the national
tourism policy involves a number of general
aspects such as the creation of continued growth in
terms of economy and employment, based on the
principle of sustainability. Development of the
traffic infrastructure in terms of international
ferry and rail connections as well as airports
and bridges is on the political agenda, together
with an increased focus on co-operation between
the industry and the Ministry of Commerce and
Trade institutionalised in the Danish Centre of
Tourism Development and the Danish Tourist
Board. The Green Key, an organisation undertaking
the certification of eco-friendly hotels and
hostels, is an initiative in the protection of the
environment �see also protected area).
Denmark is divided into nine areas/destinations,
which are organised in regional tourism
development companies. Thus, the continued
strengthening of the positive relationship between
the regions and the different agents facilitates the
implementation of the national tourism strategies.
The local strategy is to further the development of
tourism through the facilitation of co-operation
across regional boundaries.
In light of international competition, Denmark
faces several strategic problems and challenges.
The low level of profit, high taxes and lack of
innovation are major obstacles to the continued
development of its tourism. Other challenges are to
obtain equal status for tourism with other industries
in Denmark, to continue the focus on the
environmental aspects of tourism and to enhance
the level of competence.
denotation
JENS FRIIS JENSEN, DENMARK
Denotation is the process by which the attention
of an observer is drawn to the meaning of terms.
Appearing together in a single image, cameras, Tshirts
and luggage probably denote tourist, while
London's Buckingham Palace denotes royalty. Such
denoted objects almost certainly connote additional
second-order meanings, the former with, for
example, gullibility, and the latter with social class
and privilege.
dependency theory
TOM SELWYN, UK
Dependency theory, also referred to as core±
periphery theory, is based upon the inter-relationship
between development and underdevelopment.
The term `dependency' can be used to signify
economic, social or political dependency, but in
reality these different types of dependency are all
inter-related. Economic dependency often leads to
social and political dependency, with the latter two
may be more difficult to establish in an objective
manner. Tourism development may exhibit the
symptoms of dependency theory when it results in
the enrichment of developed metropolitan areas at
the expense of poorer, underdeveloped regions.
International examples often cited tend to be small
island states in close proximity to large industrialised
economies �such as Caribbean tourism
destinations). However, dependency theory has
also been cited for the larger landmasses of Afro-